Refinish - good idea or not?

[Leonid Nidis]

Just play the bass

 

[Gianni "Orlandez" Orlati]

My vote is leave it alone. Not my favorite finish, but that is freakin' beautiful as is.

Same for me .. not that I like it a lot personally, but it has got its personality ! Leave it as is !

 

[Wilmingtonian]

Personally, I'd find one that needed a refin.

 

[Ian McLaughlin]

Tort pg.

 

[funkinbottom]

Anyways, I don’t hate the butterscotch blonde, but it’s definitely not my favorite...

I've never been a butterscotch fan either. If mine, I would refinish.

My top two choices were Lake Placid Blue or Fiesta Red.

Can't go wrong with either of those colors, but I think for that bass I would prefer Fiesta Red. White pearl pickguard, or maybe mint green. Matching headstock??

 

[Dynacord]

I don't think refinishing will hurt the value, it looks like the "school bus yellow" blonde variety. If it was the less common, more authentic looking milky-white blonde version, then I'd hesitate to refin. There's a niche market for those Japan 51's, the milky finish ones command a bit more money because the finish looks way more like an actual early 50's blonde P bass. The darker yellow ones, not so much.

The white-blonde started in '54. The butterscotch blonde was the standard finish before that (though in nitro - these reissues are poly). However, the white blondes were more scarce as at about that same time the standard finish switched to sunburst (first 2-tone tobacco, of course).

Agree with what others have said about LPB, there are so many Squiers in that color that it would make it look too much like one of those.
Fiesta was a later 50s color. If it were me, I'd consider something more like a Dakota Red.

 

[Dynacord]

Refin that baby in nitro! It’s already had covers and tug bar installed so it ain’t original anymore.

If I was going to refin, that's what I'd do! And clear lacquer the pickguard as well (though I don't think the cover holes and tug-bar detract from the value).

 

[whero]

That is beautiful. I'd leave it exactly as is.

What"s up with the chrome though?

 

[dmt]

Personally, I’d leave it as is except for taking those covers off.

However, that’s because I like the way it looks now (except for the covers).

If you like that bass but want it to look differently, change it; it’s your bass. Even if you lower the resale value some, so what. It’s not a real ‘51. The finish isn’t even nitro — it’s not even an accurate reproduction of a ‘51. It’s a bass worth some hundreds of dollars, and after a refinish it’ll still be a bass worth some hundreds of dollars, ‘cept it’ll be in the color you actually want

 

[jamro217]

Wow. I can't believe nobody's mentioned Antigua yet. I'd keep it stock.

 

[bassliner50]

Leave it be.

 

[nilorius]

It's totaly on your own.

 

[flatwound62p]

Been down that road with an MIJ 62 reissue. I was quoted extra $ for the hassle of stripping the thick poly finish that most MIJ have. In the end it was almost cheaper to buy a custom nitro painted body from MJT so I went that way and mated it with the MIJ neck.
Might be a different story for you if you can strip the body yourself and keep the cost down but I’d be getting some quotes as a first step in deciding what to do.

 

[klejst]

Leave it, you knew what you were buying. If you wanted something else should of bought that. As far as future value any mods may add or take away from it...especially if done "wrong."

Conclusion: Your bass, your choice.

 

[Dynacord]

Been down that road with an MIJ 62 reissue. I was quoted extra $ for the hassle of stripping the thick poly finish that most MIJ have. In the end it was almost cheaper to buy a custom nitro painted body from MJT so I went that way and mated it with the MIJ neck.
Might be a different story for you if you can strip the body yourself and keep the cost down but I’d be getting some quotes as a first step in deciding what to do.

I did somewhat similar with a MIJ Jazz years ago: the poly was too much of a headache to remove but it was white to begin with which was the most common basecoat for early 60s custom colors so I just scuffed that and sprayed Ice Blue Metallic and clear nitro over it. It was really just a color change but it was easy, worked well and came out looking very good. Matched the headstock as well.

 

[Ghastly]

I, too, was thinking about getting one of these at some point but refinishing it more of a real blond, rather than butterscotch, which is simulated blond with age. I wanted to make it look as original '51 as possible (laquering the pick guard, one hole wood tug bar, phenolic saddles, etc.).

 

[Kmonk]

I would leave it as is. It has a nice vintage look to it.

 

[SmokinJoe992]

I think it looks great as is. I would not change anything.

 

[DavC]

leave finish ..

ad aged pearl pickguard ...

 

[MoeTown1986]

I'd say refinish it if it makes you wanna play it more. I have the exact bass. It's a CIJ 51 reissue. I don't mind the color at all. But, you refinishing it wouldn't be like refinishing a real 51.